Posted in: 20th Century Studios, Fox, Movies | Tagged: alita: battle angel

Alita: Battle Angel 2 – James Cameron Says They're "Making Progress"

Director James Cameron has confirmed that he has "sworn a blood oath to do at least one more Alita: Battle Angel movie" with director Robert Rodriguez.

Alita: Battle Angel is a fascinating little movie. It's a live-action adaptation of a beloved anime, but the reviews at the time of its 2019 release were a bit mixed, and the box office wasn't what 20th Century Fox wanted it to be. However, we're also talking about 2019, when the box office brain rot was at its worst, and Fox was in the middle of being acquired by Disney. Despite Alita: Battle Angel making over $400 million at the worldwide box office, that was seen as underperforming for a film that could have had a budget as large as $200 million. However, the film went on to find a dedicated cult following that has been pushing for now 20th Century Studios to make a sequel. The film got re-released during the pandemic thanks to the fan movement. The last we heard about a sequel was at the end of 2023 from producer Jon Landau, but James Cameron is currently making the early rounds for Avatar: Fire and Ash. Cameron was a producer on Alita: Battle Angel, and fans will be pleased to hear, in a new interview with Empire, that Cameron still seems dedicated to making at least one more film. His recent move to Austin, Texas, might have helped move things along.

"I appreciate the loyalty of the Alita fans," Cameron explained. "Robert Rodriguez and I have sworn a blood oath to do at least one more Alita movie. In fact, we're thinking of an architecture that bridges to a third film, but we'll be satisfied if we can make one more. And we're making progress on that. … Now that I have a home in Austin, Texas, about three miles from [Robert's] place, I think we'll probably get more serious about that as soon as I wrap the mix here in a few weeks."

Fan movements working have become more and more common these days, but there is the chance that just because a lot of people online say they want something, that doesn't mean it will translate to actual eyes on the project. There is no greater evidence of this than the fact that Zack Snyder's Justice League's streaming numbers did not light the world on fire, even though that fandom certainly tried. So, while the Alita Army might be mighty, it makes sense that they would be hesitant to greenlight something that fans want. However, like most films, this could be done without breaking the bank, and with better budgeting, you don't need to make half a billion to keep people happy, and you can do more niche projects that appeal to smaller subsets of fandoms. Alita: Battle Angel, but on a budget of less than $100 million, maybe even less than $50 million, is the pitch Cameron and the others should be giving to 20th Century and Disney.

Alita: Battle Angel – Summary, Cast List, Release Date

From visionary filmmakers James Cameron (Avatar) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) comes Alita: Battle Angel, an epic adventure of hope and empowerment. When Alita (Rosa Salazar) awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world, she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious history while her street-smart new friend Hugo (Keean Johnson) offers instead to help trigger her memories. But it is only when the deadly and corrupt forces that run the city come after Alita that she discovers a clue to her past – she has unique fighting abilities that those in power will stop at nothing to control. If she can stay out of their grasp, she could be the key to saving her friends, her family, and the world she's grown to love.

Alita: Battle Angel, directed by Robert Rodriguez, stars Rosa Salazar, Eiza González, Jennifer Connelly, Michelle Rodriguez, Mahershala Ali, Christoph Waltz, and Jackie Earle Haley. It is out on digital and home release now.

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